Jim VanCleve: Producing Results

One of the albums that knocked the socks off Jim VanCleve might surprise you.

 This extraordinary fiddler with such groups as Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Mountain Heart, and now, Appalachian Road Show, acknowledges the influence of many bluegrass bands and musicians, including Tony Rice, Norman Blake, Doc Watson, and the David Grisman Quintet. But So Long, So Wrong by Alison Krauss and Union Station is the album that would change things.

“When I was in high school, Aerosmith or somebody would release something that just sonically blew my mind,” VanCleve recalls. “And I would just be wondering why the music that I love to play and listen to so much couldn't also sound that captivating sonically? Why can’t my favorite bluegrass band sound like Aerosmith on tape?”

The music VanCleve loved was bluegrass. His family regularly went to a Golden Corral Steakhouse in Englewood, Florida, just to hear Ralph Blizzard, a world-renowned fiddler. Even as a kid, VanCleve would stand on a chair and blow a train whistle, accompanying his hero at the restaurant. After the family relocated to North Carolina, VanCleve became a serious fiddler, participating in jams, festivals, and contests to master his instrument. He was in high school when Krauss released So Long, So Wrong.

“She used (engineer) Gary Paczosa and recorded it in a real studio with one of the best bands assembled to that date for that style of music.” VanCleve felt the album achieved the sound in bluegrass he’d been searching for. “She had obviously asked the same questions that I had. And you can point at almost everything she's done and say those records are sonically some of the best things that have been put to tape. And they gave a high watermark for us all to chase for a while.”

Because of VanCleve’s attention to sound he’s not only a respected and admired fiddler and performer--he’s an in-demand producer of country, bluegrass, and Americana albums with more than 20 years of experience. He can create the sound that allows the artists to shine.

“The producer is like the director of a movie,” VanCleve explains. “You’re not just guiding performances. You’re making sure you have the right songs with the right singers. There’s a lot of different hats you can wear. And there's a lot of head games, too. A lot of times, you'll have artists who are so talented, but they can't get out of their own way. Because I've also been an artist, I'm able to climb into their space so that they can give the performance that they're capable of. It's like a pitcher getting the yips. Part of the job as a producer is to inspire and coach them out of that.”

As the fiddler for the Appalachian Road Show band, VanCleve maintains a busy touring schedule in a group that showcases the spirit, culture, and music of the region, where all the members have deep ties. In 2021, the group was named both New Artist of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

“'And it's such a good vehicle, such a great, organic, real, honest vehicle for bringing out what's special about a lot of the music that we all love,” VanCleve says. “And I’ve never been a part of anything that's grown any faster than this band has, and that’s been as exciting as it can be. It’s a cool thing to be in the business for 25 years and be able to say that. It's fun.”

In his long and distinguished career as a producer, VanCleve says his solo project, No Apologies, was a milestone. Producing records for Carrie Hassler and Mountain Heart are highlights. He was especially honored to be asked to write a theme song for the IBMA awards show. But now, as a producer, trying to create the captivating, sonic landscapes he sought as a young man, his most satisfying moments may not even be noticed.

“It’s the little things now that make me proud now. Nobody will ever know it mattered to me, but if it's something I was chasing and we are able to get there, then that’s cool.

“It always starts with a great player, a great instrument, and a great performance. And to me, the magic happens in the air between the musicians playing the thing live and reacting off of one another. And I do feel like I'm getting some sounds that I would have been so excited to achieve when I first heard So Long, So Wrong at the age of 17 or 18. So I feel like I'm arriving at

something.”